Abstract
The Children’s Rejection-Sensitivity Questionnaire (CRSQ) is a psychological scale designed to measure individual differences in Rejection Sensitivity (RS) among children. Developed by Downey, Lebolt, Rincon, and Freitas in 1998, the CRSQ assesses the cognitive-affective disposition to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely overreact to potential interpersonal rejection. The scale presents children with various hypothetical scenarios relevant to their peer and teacher interactions, requiring them to rate their anticipated emotional response (nervousness and anger) and their expectation of being rejected.
The instrument is utilized primarily in developmental and social psychology research to predict children’s subsequent behavioral issues and interpersonal difficulties, thereby serving as a valuable tool for early identification of social-cognitive risk factors.
Keywords
Children’s Rejection-Sensitivity Questionnaire, CRSQ, Rejection Sensitivity, RS, Childhood Psychological Scale, Social Cognition, Interpersonal Relationships, Anxiety, Anger, Peer Relations.
Authors
Geraldine Downey, Adam Lebolt, Cristina Rincon, Antoinette L. Freitas.
Purpose
The primary purpose of the CRSQ is to quantify the psychological construct of Rejection Sensitivity in a juvenile population. By using age-appropriate, scenario-based items, the scale provides a nuanced measure of how children process social information and anticipate rejection outcomes from peers and authority figures (teachers).
The scale serves as a predictive measure for understanding how this hypervigilance towards rejection affects social competence, leading to hostile attribution biases and potential difficulties in establishing and maintaining positive interpersonal difficulties. The output score reflects a composite of expectancy and emotional intensity, offering researchers insight into both the cognitive prediction and affective reaction components of RS.
Construct
The CRSQ measures Rejection Sensitivity (RS), a dispositional tendency characterized by anxious concerns regarding rejection and defensive behavioral responses to minimize the pain of being rejected. The scale captures two key dimensions of the RS construct in children:
- Anxious Expectations of Rejection (Nervousness): The degree of worry, apprehension, or nervousness a child anticipates feeling when faced with a situation where rejection is possible.
- Angry Expectations of Rejection (Madness/Hostility): The intensity of anger or frustration a child expects to feel in response to potential rejection.
The final CRSQ score is derived by multiplying the expectation of rejection (Question c) by the intensity of the affective response (Question a for anxiety or Question b for anger), resulting in separate scores for Anxious RS and Angry RS.
Validity
The original validation study (Downey et al., 1998) established the CRSQ’s validity by demonstrating its association with problematic social behaviors. High scores on the CRSQ predict increased aggression, hostility, and difficulties in peer relationships among children. Specifically, the scale shows strong predictive validity regarding future interpersonal difficulties and poor social adjustment, confirming that the scenarios effectively tap into the underlying dispositional vulnerability to social exclusion.
Reliability
The CRSQ demonstrates robust reliability, supporting its use as a stable psychological scale for measuring rejection sensitivity in children. The reliability is typically reported separately for the two core subscales:
- Internal Consistency: Measured using Cronbach’s Standardized Alpha:
- Anxious Expectations of Rejection: 0.79
- Angry Expectations of Rejection: 0.82
- Temporal Stability: Measured via 4-week Test-retest reliability:
- Anxious Expectations of Rejection: 0.82
- Angry Expectations of Rejection: 0.85
Factor Analysis
Although detailed factor loadings were not provided in the source content, the CRSQ is structurally based on a two-factor model corresponding to the affective components of the Rejection Sensitivity construct. Factor analytic studies typically confirm the distinction between the factor related to anxious anticipation and the factor related to angry or hostile anticipation of rejection. These two factors operate independently and are utilized in computing the specific RS subscores.
Instrument
Test Type: Scenario-based Self-report Measure
Format: The CRSQ is available in two primary lengths: a 12-item full version and a shorter 6-item version. Each item presents a hypothetical social scenario, followed by three questions (a, b, c) rated on a 6-point Likert scale.
Language Available: English (Original)
Population Group: Children
Age Group: Typically utilized with elementary school-aged children (ages 8–12), though specific age ranges may vary across studies.
Population Details: The scale is designed for use in both normative and clinical child populations to assess social-cognitive vulnerabilities.
Test Methodology: Respondents are asked to imagine themselves in twelve (or six) situations where they seek acceptance, support, or inclusion from a peer or teacher. For each situation, they rate their expected anxiety (a), expected anger (b), and the likelihood of acceptance/rejection (c). Note that Question (c) for items 2 and 12 requires reverse scoring.
Keywords
Affective Processing, Test-retest reliability, Cronbach’s Standardized Alpha, Developmental Psychology, Social Adjustment, Hostile Attribution Bias, Self-report measure.
Authors
Author ORCID Identifier: N/A
Affiliation Email addresses: N/A
Correspondence Address: N/A
Permissions & Fee and Test Year
The scale was developed and published in 1998. The instrument is generally available for non-commercial academic research purposes. Researchers seeking official access or specific permissions should consult the primary author, Geraldine Downey, or the Social Relations Lab at Columbia University. The instrument can be found online via the Columbia University Social Relations Lab website: http://socialrelations.psych.columbia.edu/measures/children-rs-questionnaire/25-children-rejection-sensitivity-questionnaire-crsq.
Reference’s
- Downey, G., Lebolt, A., Rincón, C., and Freitas, A. L. (1998). Rejection sensitivity and children’s interpersonal difficulties. Child Development, 69 (4), 1074-1091.
- Downey, G., Lebolt, A., Rincon, C., and Freitas, A. L. (2013). Children’s Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (CRSQ). Measurement Instrument Database for the Social Science. Retrieved from www.midss.ie.
Items of the Children’s Rejection-Sensitivity Questionnaire (CRSQ)
Children’s Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (12-item)
1. Imagine you want to buy a present for someone who is really important to you‚ but you don’t have enough money. So‚ you ask a kid in your class if you could please borrow some money. The kid says‚ “Okay‚ wait for me outside the front door after school. I’ll bring the money.” As you stand outside waiting‚ you wonder if the kid will really come.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the kid will show up?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the kid will show up?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the kid will show up to give you the money?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
2. Imagine you are the last to leave your classroom for lunch one day. As you’re running down the stairs to get to the cafeteria‚ you hear some kids whispering on the stairs below you. You wonder if they are talking about YOU.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not those kids were badmouthing you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not those kids were badmouthing you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think they were saying bad things about you?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
3. Imagine that a kid in your class tells the teacher that you were picking on him/her. You say you didn’t do it. The teacher tells you to wait in the hallway and she will speak to you. You wonder if the teacher will believe you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will believe your side of the story?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will believe your side of the story?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think she will believe your side of the story?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
4. Imagine you had a really bad fight the other day with a friend. Now you have a serious problem and you wish you had your friend to talk to. You decide to wait for your friend after class and talk with him/her. You wonder if your friend will want to talk to you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not your friend will want to talk to you and listen to your problem?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not your friend will want to talk to you and listen to your problem?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think he/she will want to talk to you and listen to your problem?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
5. Imagine that a famous person is coming to visit your school. Your teacher is going to pick five kids to meet this person. You wonder if she will choose you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher will choose YOU to meet the special guest?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
6. Imagine you have just moved and you are walking home from school. You wish you had someone to walk home with. You look up and see in front of you another kid from class‚ and you decide to walk up to this kid and start talking. As you rush to catch up‚ you wonder if he/she will want to talk to you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not he/she will want to talk to you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not he/she will want to talk to you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think he/she will want to talk to you?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
7. Now imagine that you’re back in class. Your teacher asks for a volunteer to help plan a party for your class. Lots of kids raise their hands so you wonder if the teacher will choose YOU.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you to read?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher will choose YOU ?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
8. Imagine it’s Saturday and you’re carrying groceries home for your family. It is raining hard and you want to get home FAST. Suddenly‚ the paper bag you are carrying rips. All your food tumbles to the ground. You look up and see a couple of kids from your class walking quickly. You wonder if they will stop and help you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not those kids will want to stop and help you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not those kids will want to stop and help you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think they will offer to help you?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
9. Pretend you have moved and you are going to a different school. In this school‚ the teacher lets the kids in the class take home a video game to play with on the weekend. Every week so far‚ you have watched someone else take it home. You decide to ask the teacher if YOU can take home the video game this time. You wonder if she will let you have it.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel about whether or not the teacher will let you take the video game home this time?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will let you take the video game home this time?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher is going to let you take home the video game this time?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
10. Imagine you’re back in your classroom‚ and everyone is splitting up into six groups to work on a special project together. You sit there and watch lots of other kids getting picked. As you wait‚ you wonder if the kids will want you for their group.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not they will choose you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not they will choose you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the kids in your class will choose you for their group?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
11. Imagine that your family has moved to a different neighborhood‚ and you’re going to a new school. Tomorrow is a big math test‚ and you are really worried because you don’t understand this math at all! You decide to wait after class and speak to your teacher. You wonder if she will offer to help you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will offer to help you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will offer to help you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher will offer to help you?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
12. Imagine you’re in the bathroom at school and you hear your teacher in the hallway outside talking about a student with another teacher. You hear her say that she really doesn’t like having this child in her class. You wonder if she could be talking about YOU.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher was talking about YOU?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher was talking about YOU.
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher probably meant YOU when she said there was a kid she didn’t like having in the class?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
Children’s Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (6-item)
Please imagine yourself in each of the following situations described here and tell us how you would feel in each.
1. Imagine you had a really bad fight the other day with a friend. Now you have a serious problem and you wish you had your friend to talk to. You decide to wait for your friend after class and talk with him/her. You wonder if your friend will want to talk to you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not your friend will want to talk to you and listen to your problem?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not your friend will want to talk to you and listen to your problem?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think he/she will want to talk to you and listen to your problem?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
2. Imagine that a famous person is coming to visit your school. Your teacher is going to pick five kids to meet this person. You wonder if she will choose you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher will choose YOU to meet the special guest?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
3. Now imagine that you’re back in class. Your teacher asks for a volunteer to help plan a party for your class. Lots of kids raise their hands so you wonder if the teacher will choose YOU.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will choose you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher will choose YOU?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
4. Imagine it’s Saturday and you’re carrying groceries home for your family. It is raining hard and you want to get home FAST. Suddenly‚ the paper bag you are carrying rips. All your food tumbles to the ground. You look up and see a couple of kids from your class walking quickly. You wonder if they will stop and help you.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not those kids will want to stop and help you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not those kids will want to stop and help you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think they will offer to help you?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
5. Pretend you have moved and you are going to a different school. In this school‚ the teacher lets the kids in the class take home a video game to play with on the weekend. Every week so far‚ you have watched someone else take it home. You decide to ask the teacher if YOU can take home the video game this time. You wonder if she will let you have it.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will let you take the video game home this time?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not the teacher will let you take the video game home this time?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the teacher is going to let you take home the video game this time?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!
6. Imagine you’re back in your classroom‚ and everyone is splitting up into groups to work on a special project together. You sit there and watch lots of other kids getting picked. As you wait‚ you wonder if the kids will want you for their group.
a) How NERVOUS would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not they will choose you?
Not nervous 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very nervous
b) How MAD would you feel‚ RIGHT THEN‚ about whether or not they will choose you?
Not mad 1 2 3 4 5 6 very‚ very mad
c) Do you think the kids in your class will choose you for their group?
YES!!! 1 2 3 4 5 6 NO!!!